​Highway 21 in Kincardine area remains closed for fifth day in a row

For the fifth day in a row, Highway 21, from Port Elgin to Amberley, remained closed, Friday, due to blowing and drifting snow, nil visibility, and a lengthy snow removal operation.

At noon, Thursday (Jan. 22), Highway 21 was closed from Port Elgin all the way to Goderich, along with Highway 9, from Kincardine to Bruce County Road 1; Bruce County Road 3, from Highway 9 to Paisley; and Bruce County Road 19, from Walkerton to Chesley.

By Thursday afternoon, several other Bruce County roads were closed, and by 11 p.m., Bruce County Road 1 was closed, from Highway 9 to Bruce County Road 20.

Friday morning, Highways 21 and 9 remained closed, plus Bruce County Road 3, from Paisley to Highway 21; and Bruce County Road 28, from Highway 9 to Huron County Road 7. Later in the day, Bruce County Road 17, from Bruce County Road 3 to Bruce County Road 10, was closed; but Highway 9, from Kincardine to Bruce County Road 1, was re-opened.

As of 6 p.m., Friday, Bruce County plows ceased operations due to unsafe weather conditions on county roadways. This brought all winter maintenance activities on county roads to a full stop until further notice.

There were numerous road closures, by police order, within the county. Driving on a closed road is against the law and puts you, your passengers, and others at risk. Abandoned vehicles are subject to towing at the owner’s expense and to possible fines.

The county urges people to stay home and stay safe. Winter maintenance operations will resume when it is safe to do so. Stay up-to-date with important information, notices, and road closures by checking the county's road conditions web page.



Blowing and drifting snow on Highway 9, east of Kincardine, Thursday morning



Meanwhile, for the fourth time this year, all the schools in Kincardine and Ripley were closed, due to the snow squall warning, the condition of back roads, and the continuing closed roads. Other schools in the district were open but no school buses were running. This is the 15th day that school buses have been cancelled in the Kincardine area.

The schedule for KDSS exams, slated to start Friday, was changed to the following:
 

• Period A Exam → Monday
• Period B Exam → Tuesday
• Period C Exam → Wednesday
• Period D Exam → Thursday

After-school care provided by YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce at all Bluewater District schools, was cancelled, Friday.

Due to the snowstorm and closed roads, a number of offices and businesses closed early and programs and services were cancelled.

In Kincardine, the municipal administration centre was closed, as well as the Davidson Centre pool, and the Tiverton Sports Centre, and classes were cancelled.

Garbage collection for Kincardine's Ward 3 (excluding Tiverton) was cancelled, and will be collected Monday, Jan. 26. Recycling was cancelled and will be collected on the next regular recycling day.

For full details and ongoing updates, visit the Service Interruptions web page: www.kincardine.ca/our.../service-interruptions.

In Huron-Kinloss, the township office in Ripley was closed, as were the Huron Landfill and the Ripley-Huron Community Centre. For municipal emergencies, residents may call 1-866-299-5199.

As of 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, Highway 21 remains closed, from Southampton to Bayfield, and the following Bruce County roads are closed:
 

• Bruce County Road 3, from Mildmay to Bruce County Road 4, Burgoyne to Highway 21, and Bruce County Road 40 to Burgoyne
• Bruce County Road 12, from Belmore to Highway 9
• Bruce County Road 28, from Bruce County Road 6 to MacIntosh
• Bruce County Road 1, from Lucknow to Paisley
• Bruce County Road 4, from Wingham to Teeswater
• Bruce County Road 10, from Chesley to Tara
• Bruce County Road 17, from Tara to Burgoyne
• Grey Bruce Line, from Scone to Highway 21

For those who decide to travel, keep your headlights and tail-lights on and clear of snow and do not drive on a closed road.

Remember to keep your speed down. “If you see snow, go slow.”

For up-to-date road/weather information, visit: www.brucecounty.on.ca/road-conditions.php or call Bruce County Roads at 1-866–266-7569, option “2”. For Ontario highways – visit 511on.ca.”



White-out on Highway 9, east of Kincardine, Thursday morning



Blowing snow along Bruce County Road 7, north of Ripley, looking south, Thursday morning



A snowblower clears the high snowbanks from Bruce County Road 86, just west of Lucknow, looking east, Thursday morning